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Mission: To utilize skills and experience to build the best AV resource, research and advice site on the internet: ProjectorReviews.com.

Put into different words: To help the most people make the right choices when purchasing a business, education or home theater projector! And with our new redesign, we thought we’d try for user friendly, and modern, too!

Headquarters: San Clemente, CA.

Contact Us

Art attempts to answer as many projector oriented questions as time allows: For those with questions choosing projector, screen, etc., be advised, the best way to get a response is to leave your question as a comment into any appropriate blog entry. Facebook and Youtube posted comments will get answered, but they are not suitable for any sort of in-depth answers.

When Art is responding, please keep this in mind: To have the time to answer dozens of requests each week, (most with multiple questions), he doesn’t have the time to research items already stated in the reviews. (So don’t ask about placement distances, since every review’s Tour page provides that info.) That means he’s working from memory (and there’s a lot of projector information crammed in that memory).

Vague questions do not get answered. “What should I buy?” without supporting info such as desired screen size, room lighting, what you watch (movies, sports, etc.)budget, particular features needed or desired (within that general budget), are basic pieces of information, without which Art cannot provide an intelligent answer.

Generally please do not send diagrams or photos, etc. Art will answer questions that take a few minutes, there is no time to deal with images, etc. If you have some, you can let us know.

If we give you advice helping in your projector selection our fee is that we ask you to provide feedback to us, a week or two after you purchase a new projector, or whatever other changes, whether for business, or home.

We rely heavily on the feedback so we can speak about user satisfaction with different projectors, likes, dislikes… It is helpful to us, and even more helpful to other people reading about business, education, or home theater projectors.

He will provide detailed consulting if desired, at $300/hour, one hour minimum.

Copyrights and Trademarks

All original content on this site is the property of and copyrighted by Projector Reviews, Inc. or Art Feierman. All Trademarks are the property of Projector Reviews, Inc. or Art Feierman

All other trademarks and copyrights are property of their respective owners.

All rights reserved.

About the Editor

Interview with Art Feierman – This is a “reprint of a recent interview with the Editor and chief reviewer of www.projectorreview.com with TestFreaks. Read to learn about Art Feierman’s background in the business, review process, favorite products/experiences, industry tips, and his goal as a reviewer.

Owner, Editor: Art Feierman

As I am also the chief reviewer, so here is a little background.

I started in high end audio (’72), sold early big screen TV’s (Advent, etc.,) in the late seventies, spent a few years in the computer industry (Epson), then returned to A/V, in 1986.

I was an owner, and founder of Presenting Solutions! From 1989 until 2001, a seller of presentation products, and the first online reseller of projectors. Presenting Solutions was an INC 500 company, in 2000, 2001.

In 1996 I started writing the Infocomm Projector Report, which later became the Portable Projector Report, for more than a decade. The report, originally focused on portable projectors, evolved over time, to also include home theater projectors. Today, while we no longer publish it, we do publish comparison reports for 720p and 1080p projectors, as well as reviews of all types of projectors.

Today, I publish one major report a year, focused on Home Theater Projectors. The 1080p Projector Comparison Report. Each year this report is published in March, after we have reviewed most of the new home theater projectors, released in the previous 12 months. Links to the report can be found on the homepage, as well as the Home Theater Review Directory, and other locations on the site.

Additional Background

Over the years, I have had the privilege to write articles on projectors for a number of national magazines, both industry specific, and industry related, including Government Video, Sales and Marketing Strategies, Human Capital, Church Executive… In addition I have contributed to articles in a much larger group of publications, including Presentations Magazine, Selling Power, ProAV… as well as various websites.

I have also spoken at Infocomm, the Display Industry’s largest US tradeshow, regarding current and future projector capabilities, and how they affect the decision process. (a seminar aimed at an audience of IT and AV professionals). In addition, I have presented at businesses, universities, medical conferences, and other venues, relating to the use of today’s presentation technologies.

On the lighter side, I returned to school in ’77-78, to take computer courses, and while doing so, installed lighting and sound in a couple of clubs (think disco). From there I became the DJ of Daddi’s, one of the largest clubs in Phila., during that time. (Much fun!) I continued to DJ in the evenings, as I started managing what was the first computer store in the state of Pa. (yes, it was there a couple years before I became manager). I do like being on the leading edge of things!

Meet the Staff

President, EditorArt FeiermanStoryteller-in-Chief: Handles almost all of the home theater projector reviews, finds the sponsors and advertisers, and generally uses educated guesses to try to figure out what our readers are looking for.

Here at Projector Reviews Inc., we also periodically use a number of independent contractors for maintaining the website, working as contributing writers, etc.:

Lisa FeiermanWorks full-time for NBCUniversal, but on the side manages the social media aspects of site, day-to-day webwork, image processing, writing, and editing of our Projector Reviews TV videos.

Mike RolletMike reviews projectors, primarily business / education ones, including the larger ones. He also calibrates all the home theater projectors for us. He is THX certified, and one of those retired engineers that like many gravitated to home theater. Long ago, he taught Art to calibrate projectors, but Art never liked doing it.

Ron JonesAnother retired engineer, he pens a blog for us. His focus is on the technology. Art’s into the tech, but is no engineer–Ron keeps him humble.

Darryl GravesWe found Darryl through the AV department of a local college, and now he does our Projector Reviews TV video editing under Lisa’s direction.

News And Comments

C. Petty

Just wondering if Art might review the new Vivitek H1185HD home theater projector soon. I saw this projector at a high end AV store in KC and was very impressed considering its 1299.00 price point. Looked better than the Runco and Epson units they had on display there.

C. Petty

Guess I am talking to myself here. Well after watching over 90 mins of content at the aforementioned AV store’s show room and being amazed by its brightness and image detail in a above moderate ambient lit room. I already purchased the item. In the process of building the man cave for it right now.

ProjectorReviews.com

Hi “C”

No, you aren’t writing only to yourself, although the About Us Contact Us page isn’t the best place for a discussion, as most readers post in sections about the projector of interest, or a similar competing one.

As to the Vivitek H1185HD, the answer is, I probably will review it, but it won’t be until at least mid-August. I’ve got a Sony HW40ES, a 4 way HT projector shootout (including the HW40ES, and Epson, an Optoma and a BenQ), and our annual Best Home Theater Projectors report, all to publish by Aug 10 (and a business projector in there too, and some home automation stuff.

Meantime, our other readers I’m sure would love to hear whatever feedback you would like to provide. So…

I will attempt in the next week, to put up a blog about the 1185. You’ll be able to comment there. That blog should stay pretty visible for perhaps 60-90 days, by which time, hopefully I’ll be doing the review.

BTW sorry for the less than immediate response. We are a tiny company. I’m the only full time employee (Mike does about 20 calibrations and about 6-8 reviews for me, Ron does about 10 reviews for me, and my daughter handles the social and the video production (4-8 hours a week), and my wife puts in a few hours a week, mostly billing advertisers, etc. That’s the whole team.

So, unfortunately, sometimes I can respond in a half day, but other times, it’s often 2-4 days, just depends what else is on my plate.

So congrats on your new projector. Hope it works out great, and look for that blog next week if you’d like to share some feedback. People will read it. how many, I have no idea, but over 100,000 unique visitors visit our site every month (hoping to break 200,000 uniques some month later this year.

Happy 4th of July! -art

C. Petty

Thanks so much for the more than prompt reply. Yes actually moving into a much bigger place so most likely will wait until then to build my man cave and fire up the Vivitek 1185.
Also trying to decide what would be the best screen for it. I am thinking of a 120 inch Elite electric screen with 1:1 gain. So it might be another month before I have any true input about the projector. I wish you and yours a good 4th also.

GingerBreadMan

I have owned the Panasonic PT-AX200u for a long time now and quality lamp replacements are difficult to find. I am interested in getting a new projector that is as bright as the 200u, but I feel that is hard to come by in the $1000 – $1500 range. Any suggestions? Thanks and keep up the great work!

Cris

Hi. I’d be really happy if someone could help me.

I’m looking for a very quiet projector to work with. We record foley and sound efx so we don’t really need a perfect image. We just need a very quiet projector.

Right now we’re working with a Benq MP610 and we think it’s noisy.

Price range 0-1000 US$

Can you please recommend anything?

Thank you so much.

Cristiano

ste c

Hi I was wondering if there is any plans to review the new Optoma HD26 projector.
After looking up this projector and reading some of the reviews mainly Trusted Reviews website giving this projector a very high score as do the 110 + near 5 star reviews from amazon, one expert review stated you can not buy better for under £2k. If this is the new hd25lv then I think it warrants a review.

ProjectorReviews.com

The answer is “at some point” Optoma would like my next projector review of an Optoma to be the HD50. It’s unlikely I could get to the HD26 before January, I’m pretty stacked up. -art

I’m considering my first home theater projector purchase. Shortlisted two projectors – Panasonic PT-AE8000U and Sony VPL-HW40ES. While comparing the two, I find the picture sharpness + colors to be better on Sony HW40ES but the motion is better on the Panny AE8000U.

My question is – can I add a DARBEE (or a DVDO DUO) video processor to the Panny AE8000U and match the sharpness + color performance of the Sony HW40ES?

Thanks.

ProjectorReviews.com

Wish I could give you a helpful answer, but I almost never get to play
with outboard processors. That said I’d think the Sony would still have
the edge. I think Panasonic’s efforts to make the pixel structure less
visible (“Smooth” something – I’m blanking on what they call it),
definitely adds some softness to the image. It’s minor, but I suspect
that would contribute and leave the Sony with the advantage. Sony’s
Reality Creation is some very respectable image processing in its own
right. It’s been two full years since I reviewed the PT-AE8000, so my
memory is less precise. -art

Lorenzo

Good day Art,
i’d like to ask you a technical question, if possible.
Can you give me some details about LCD display refresh? From what i understood, the liquid crystals change orientation depending on the “color” of the desired pixel, making the projection more or less bright. My question is the following. What happens when you project consecutive frames identical to each other? Do the crystals stay fixed during the refreshing? Or do they change to a “resting” position and rapidly go back to the final position?
I hope i made myself clear, thank you for your attention

LCD projectors use 3 LCD micro display panels, with one for each red, blue and green. Each LCD panel has a fixed linear polarizing filter and a liquid crystal layer. As light passes thru the liquid crystal layer the orientation for the polarization of the light is rotated and the amount of amount of rotation will determine for that given pixel, how much of the light is passed through, or adsorbed by, the fixed polarizing filter. The orientation of the polarization is the same for the light coming thru the liquid crystal layer is the aligned the same as the orientation of the polarization for the fixed polarizing filter then the maximum amount of light will pass through. On the other hand it the orientation has been rotated a full 90 degrees by the liquid crystal layer then virtually none the light will be passed through the fixed polarizing filter. Thus for each pixel and for each video frame the amount of rotation of the polarization is being adjusted to control the brightness of that pixel. The full color image is created by combining the red, blue and green sub-images and by adjusting the brightness of each red, blue and green pixel determines the final color displayed for that pixel.

Ryan Elmore

I signed up for an account and paid the $9.99. It will not let me log in. Is there a phone number I can call to get help?

ProjectorReviews.com

Hi Ryan,

Although I’m not sure why you are having a problem. (I do know our webmaster is doing some work on the subscriber area, but that’s probably not it.

We will see what we can figure out, and get back to you. In the meantime, is there anything specific you are looking for? I know a lot of folks sign up as subscribers to get the advanced calibration settings for a projector they own. If that’s the case, I’m happy to send you all the appropriate info, just let us know which. Thanks! -art

I couldn’t find a review of the Epson 5025ub. Any chance that will be up soon? Looking for the calibration settings.

ProjectorReviews.com

Hi Devin, Originally I was supposed to get one to review, but Epson apparently decided that the 5025UB (essentially a 5030UB but packaged differently) wasn’t unique enough. I think they decided to keep the marketing focus on the 5030UB after all, instead of having two versions at slightly different price points. So read the 5030UB review (great projector), just figure you won’t be getting 3D glasses, etc. in the box. The 5025UB should be a good value, if you can find them – there are obviously far more dealers carrying the 5030UB. -art

Lane

Gamma Curve??

I’m a paid member with a Optoma HD161X projector. I’ve got all the configuration settings (the new ones) figured out except one. How do you, or where do you set the Gamma Curve to 2.? let alone the rest of the Gamma settings. I can’t find this in any of my menus?? Great Config settings by the way. I can’t wait to get Gamma figured out.

ProjectorReviews.com

Hi Lane, Not sure how you missed gamma. I’m staring at the HD161X menus right now. With a live source (or the main Image menu won’t fully work), Go to the Image menu. Scroll down and select Advanced. The second item is Gamma. Select that and you get three presets (Film, Video, and Graphics), and below them, Gamma numbers from 1.8 to 2.6. -art

Lane

Thanks for the quick reply and the fabulous config settings.

Roxan

can i get the proposal/quotation for casio projector?

Roxan

i need 2000 ansi lumens of casio projector of proposal

susan

Hi Art
Nice to contact you here ,I am Susan from China
We manufacture projector and projector screen in China
I recommend to you the laser projector ,this is the one that only could be done with high laser quality by us ,I could provide you the competitive price .
Please be intouch at :[email protected]
or WhatSsaP :18928951849
Thanks and look forward to hearing from you
Susan

David Gauley

Hi, I registered but can’t seem to figure out how to pay to be a subscriber. Thanks

ProjectorReviews.com

Hi David. It’s possible you just signed up for our newsletter, which is a free service with a “sign up” feature that is different from the paid subscription. Visithttp://www.projectorreviews.com/register/ and see if that is what you’re looking for. If problems persist, reach back out.

Sahil Arora

Hi
I can register for your paid subscription.I was looking for some calibration setting for Panasonic ae8000.
Pls let me know

I can not find out how to unsubscribe from your paid subscription. Can you please help?

Kelly Baca

Hello Art:

I’m an office manager in SF and I need guidance in purchasing a video projector for our boardroom – I’m not techy at all, so I just feel like I keep reading articles/reviews but getting nowhere. The boardroom accommodates around 12 ppl and I’m not sure if it matters but I would also like to mount it to a cement ceiling. We mostly will use it for PowerPoint Presentations and maybe every now and then to play movies – but nothing too fancy. My budget is probably $1.4k max.

Also, my boss is asking for something wireless – do you think it would be best to just get a regular machine and purchase a wireless adapter? Or should I actually purchase a wireless machine?

Would really appreciate any insight.

Kelly

ProjectorReviews.com

Hi Kelly, Sorry, overlooked your email (I’m buried in them.) Well, the good news is you have plenty of budget.

Let me address wireless – if your boss is looking to present wirelessly, that could be basic such as projecting photos, video clips etc, many projectors have that wireless capability or optional. (For example almost all Epson projectors accept their wireless dongle, some come with it, for the others, it’s $99. Properly set up you can tie it to your office network (if you have a good network person), and stream to it whatever, basically whatever’s on your boss’es computer.

Or plan B, rarely found on biz projectors, and only a few home ones, is wireless HDMI. Now you are basically just replacing an HMDI cable with a wireless HDMI transmitter and receiver.

Those typically sell as optional devices for around $300.

As to you ceiling mounting into concrete, your folks who have installed other stuff into your concrete ceilings shouldn’t have any problem mounting a normal projector ceiling mount.

Here’s a thought, though, look at some ultra short throw projectors. They mount directly above the screen, to the wall, that solves any concrete issues (unless your walls are also concrete). Those projectors, being mounted so close to the screen, don’t blind the presenter.

And there are interactive ones (mostly starting right at the top of your budget, but good interactive projectors are big time productivity tools, especially for collaboration type meetings.

Hope that helps. BTW if you go with an Epson Ultra short throw, you can have that wireless dongle option (you would go 3rd party if you wanted wireless HDMI. -art

Bobby

Hi Art,

I am just about set on the Epson LS10000 after hours and hours of reading your reviews. One thing that is keeping me from pulling the trigger is that I am fearful Epson is coming out with a newer model. Have you heard anything about when they might be releasing a newer model? I don’t want to buy this now and in a month it’s 2k cheaper or the newer model is the same price as the one I just purchased. Any help is greatly appreciated. Thank you!!

ProjectorReviews.com

Hi Bobby, it’s always possible (a new model), although I haven’t heard anything that would indicate one is coming. The LS10000 started shipping in limited quantities last January, and in normal quantities, early last summer, so it’s been around not much more than a year. Until 4-5 years ago, most companies were changing out home theater projector models annually, even if some of those were in some cases, minor updates.

But 2 years, or 3 years seems to be the new normal. Now IF Epson was to replace the LS10000, in the near future, they would announce it at CEDIA this September, and probably start shipping right before, or after Christmas/New Years holidays. Companies like to get new models out before the holidays, but don’t always succeed, and other factors are in play.

So with that in mind that you can always be expecting a new model at some point (if you wanted to wait until PC’s stopped improving/dropping in price before you bought, you’d still be waiting to buy your first one since 1982.

The LS10000 has the important ability to input 4K content from Blu-ray UHD, your only alternative are the JVCs, or spending more for the Sony VW365 true 4K ($9999). However the Sony lacks great black levels so the Epson is dramatically superior in terms of handling dark scenes.

What the LS10000 primarily lacks is support at this time for HDR. Whether that will come in a firmware upgrade or not, I don’t know, but I am encouraged in that my understanding is that Sony just announced an update to their VW365, adding HDR capability that wasn’t supported initially. -art

Bobby

Thanks Art!

Kanerator

Hi, Art. I posted a message through Discus but don’t know if it went through. I wanted your opinion and advice. I’m considering buying the Epson 6040UB, but am wondering whether it will be a case of me buying it and then Epson or other companies will be releasing a true 4K projector in the next 6 months to a year that’s around the same price range and I will be suffering buyers regret. Do you have any info or opinion on what the 4k landscape will be in the next 6 to 12 months?

I also need your opinion regarding screen size. I have a 16:9, no name brand, 1.0 gain, 150 inch diagonal screen (about 10.5 feet wide). I’ve always found the brightness adequate. I would like it brighter, but I think every projector owner wants their picture brighter. I tried moving the projector closer when I first got it and I didn’t really notice any increase in brightness. What I’m wondering is this: when I get the Epson 6040, I am considering upgrading to a 16:9 200 inch diagonal screen. Do you think the Epson 6040 could handle a screen that size? I know there is always the moving closer to the screen option, but the wife tends to nix that, so I think if the seating remained the same but the screen was bigger she could handle that.

Two last questions about lens memory on the Epson. When watching a 2.35:1 ratio movie on a 16:9 screen you have black bars top and bottom. I used to scroll the picture down so that the black bar was only on the top (haven’t bothered doing that in years as the projector is ceiling mounted now). If I scrolled the picture down on the new Epson and clicked lens memory save, would the setting play a 2.35:1 movie with it scrolled down every time without having to re-scroll each time?

Secondly, my current 16:9 screen is about 6.5 feet tall and 10.5 feet wide. As you know, 1:85 movies fill the screen and 4.3 movies show 6.5 feet tall but with black bars on the sides. That screen height seems good to me. What I wonder is this: if I bought a 2.35:1 screen of 200 inch diagonal ( 6.5 feet tall and 15 feet wide image) the screen would be filled on a widescreen movie. Could I then use lens memory to watch a 1:85 movie with the 6.5 feet image, but black bars on the sides and the same with 4:3, thus having a basic CIH setup without losing any of the image in the different formats?

I find most of the explanations of CIH confusing as they always seem to be describing part of the picture being cut off.

If I have a 2:35:1 screen without an anamorphic lens, when I’m watching a widescreen movie, does that mean that the projector is displaying the black bars above and below the screen?

I know you must get tired of all of us mortals asking you to tell us what and when to buy, but you’re our last hope Obi Juan.

Thanks, Kane

Derick Rodriguez

Hi Art, I would like to pay the 3.99 fir Calibration Settings on the Benq HT3050 but I can’t find link, or even it they are available. I did last year when I had the Benq HT1075 and thought the settings were great. Love your site!! Thank you.